Means for producing raw-water ice.



OFFICE.

GILBERT SELLERS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MEANS FOR PRODUCING RAW-WATER ICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 16, 1917.

Application led November 13, 1915. Serial No. 61,318.

To all 'whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, GILBERT SELLERS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Means for Producing Raw-Water Ice; and I do hereby declare that the following description of my said invention, taken in connection with the accompanying sheet of drawing, forms a full, clear, and exact speciication, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. I

My invention relates generally to impi'ovements in means for producing raw water ice, and it consists, essentially, in the novel and peculiar combination of parts and details of construction, as hereinafter first fully set forth and described and then pointed out in the claims.

In the production of ice from raw water by means of the usual ice cans almost entirely immersed in a cooled brine vat, it is a. well known fact that the cores in the ice cakes during the freezing process must be pumped dry several times and refilled with raw water. Unless this be done the resultant product is a discolored cake due to the presence in the ice of such solids, salts, and impurities as were held in suspension or solution in the raw water. The purpose of pumping the core dry at intervals is to remove the water therein, (which becomes saturated with this foreign matter as the process of freezing proceeds,) before the point of precipitation is reached. But the 'periods for pumping must be very accurately gaged; a matter almost impossible of achievement, and, very few raw water ice cakes are now produced in which the discolored areas are not prevalent. The well known drop pipe system was introduced for the purpose of agitating the water by an -air current and thereby retarding precipitation, but this is buty a palliative and does not eliminate the pumping of the core several times in the course of producing a cake of ice of the approximate dimensions of 1 ft. by 2 ft. by 4: ft. And, it is a fact that approximately 12 gallons of water are thrown away and wasted in a cake of the above dimensions by reason of the repeated pumping out of the water in the core.

The essence of my invention resides in' methods and means, whereby the pumping of the core is entirely eliminated; and, at the same time, the removal of the matter in solution or suspension is accomplished, so that the finished ice cake will be free from the salts and other foreign substances contained in the raw water, and, will closely.

resemble what may be termed crystal ice.

Briefly, therefore, in its simplest application, my invention comprises a cover for each can, which cover is made from. wood or other insulating material, and is so constructed and arranged that as soon as freezing begins, an air tight seal between the inner margin of the can and the cover will be produced. superimposed upon this cover is a tank of a capacity in excess of the volume of water displaced bythe expansion created in the conversion of the water into ice within the can. This'tank has an opening therein extending through the cover and it communicates with the interior of the can, so that the water displaced by expansion may flow into said tank, and with it the accumulated matter held in suspension or solution.

In the sheet of drawing hereto annexed and made a part hereof, Figure 1 is avertical, longitudinal section of a portion of an ice can having my invention directly attached thereto. Fig. 2 is a transverse, vertical section in line 2--2 o-f Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical, longitudinal section of fragments of a plurality of ice cans connected to a. mutual receiving tank. Fig. 4 is a plan of a part of Fig. 8. Fig. 5 is a partial section and elevation taken in line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Like parts are indicated by corresponding symbols or characters of reference in all the figures of the drawing.

Referring first to Fig. 1, A indicates the type of ice can now in general use; B, the usual stiifening band'surrounding the upper end thereof for obvious purposes; @,the drop pipe now extensively used to create an agitation and circulation of the water within the core by means of a current of air passboss 11, which boss is likewise of insulating material; and, it, 'together with the member 10 is apertured for the reception of a pipe or tube 12 fixed therein and passing upwardly into a tank 13, which tube has a flange resting upon the member 10. rlhis tube is a snug fit in said aperture, and there is produced a water and air tight joint between said tube and the tank 13. lt is now explained that this tank 13 may be of any desirable contour, made of sheetmetal or other material, as desired, and that its capacity is preferably in excess of the volume of water displaced within the ice can by expansion during the freezing process.

i Depending from the cover member 10, embracing the boss 11, and having its outer edges -in relatively close Contact with the inner faces of the walls of the ice can A, is a preferably inverted dished member 14, the edges 15 of said member protruding a proper distance into the said ice can as clearly seen in 1. This member 14 is firmly fixed to the member 10 and tank 13 by bolts 16 or like media, but l here wish it understood that l do not necessarily confine myself to a dished member 14, the latter being preferably employed because of cheapness of manufacture. Aand attention is now directed to the fact that the elements 10, 13 and 14 being firmly connected together comprise a nnit, to all intents and purposes, and that the whole may be lifted from the ice can A by the handle 17. further to call attention to the fact that there being an airspace 13 above the member 14, Vof a higher temperature than within the can, ice will not readily form on the interior of the member 14, and if there be any such tendency,'the same will be arrested by entrapped air as hereinafter described.

The operation of my device may now be described as follows: The ice can A is filled with water up to substantially the lower edge 15 of the member 14, an air hose is attached to the upper end of the drop or air pipe C; my improved receptacle D placed upon the top of the ice can and the can substantially immersed in the usual brine vat. As soon as freezing begins within the can, the edges 15 will at once be ice-sealed against leakage of air or water; Meantime the current of air is agitating and circulating the unfrozen water in the can, so that the said water may take up the solid matter frozen out, as it were, from the ice as the latter forms along the sides of the can. As freezing proceeds, expansion continues, and the surplus water rises through the pipe 12 into the tank 13. This tank being decidedly beyond the freezing zone, gradual precipitation of the solids is effected. And this process proceeds until the core of the ice cake is frozen solid, at which time it will be found that the tank 13 contains all of the l wish surplus water due to expansion and also all of the solid matter cast out in the process of producing the ice. lt is also to be mentioned that the air introduced through the pipe C likewise passes from the interior of the can through the Vpipe 12. In addition to this, it is to be observed that there is a` certain amount of air entrapped in the space within the member 14, the pressure of which prevents the rise of the ice above thc lower edge of the boss 11, so that the ice cake, when iinished presents a relatively flat and smooth appearance on its upper face.

t is now to be particularly noted, that in the use of my device, the upper portion of c the ice cake for a thickness of several inches, (which under the present methods contains all of the solid matter in and taken up by the water in the last refilling of the core, and which presents a whitish or otherwise discolored tinge, and which is now chopped off from the ice cake and thrown away) is saved by my process. This ice cake made under my invention is substantially as clear at its upper surface as the remainder of the ice cake, due to the fact that the surplus water due to expansion, contains the collected solids in solution or suspension and the impurities, and is caused to flow into a receptacle outside and beyond the freezing zone.

ln Figs. 3, 4, and 5, l disclose the manner in which I employ my invention in cases where there are a plurality of ice cans, as in a brine vat of the usualconstruction. ln FiO'. 4 are shown two rows of ice cans, although there may be any number of rows, and the number of ice cans in each row may be such as is required for any plant in question. The point is that each row of cans is connected to a common receiving tank by suitable means whereby the same result is accomplished as in the single can with its superimposed tank 13.

In the above mentioned F ig. 4, 50 indicates a typical wood grating used for the proper positioning` of the ice cans A in the usual brine vat (not shown), and D the receiving tanks for the water displaced by expansion from the various cans in each row. Leading or extending from each of these tanks is a pipe P, which pipe terminates at the end of the row of cans to be served thereby. Each of these ice cans A in any particular row is provided with a cover 51 resting upon the upper edge of the ice can as seen in Fig. 3, and which cover is provided with depending lips 52 in close adjacency t`o the`upper, inner faces of the ice can, whereby when the conversion of water into ice begins to take place, there is first formed an ice-seal at the lower edges 52a of said lips52 with the inner faces of the said can, whereby the leakage of water and air is prevented. This cover 51 may be of any suitable material, but sheet metal is preferred. Depending from this coveron the interior thereof is an insulating, preferably annular or the like member 53, and extending through the cover 51 and forming a water and air tight joint therewith is a pipe 54, the lower terminus of said pipe being flush with the lower face of the insulating member 53. Likewise extending through said cover, a tight joint therewith, and with its lower end flush with the bottom face of said cover is a similar pipe 55, it being understood that both of these pipes 54 and 55 are located within the central opening of the. annular member 53.

The pipes 54 and 55 extend exteriorly of the cover 51 and are provided with stop valves 56 and 57, and these pipes are connected with short lengths of hose 58 and 59 to nipples 60 and 61 located in the pipe P, the former, however, reaching into the pipe P to near its lower interior wall thereof and the other terminating near the upper interior wall of said pipe P as seen in Fig. 5. And it is now to be understood that the pipe 54, the hose 58, and nipple 60 are provided for the How of displaced water from the tank A, due to expansion, and that the pipe 55, hose 59, and nipple 61 are for the purpose of permitting the air within the tank A to escape into said receiving tank.

It is to be understood that the ice cans A ofthis system are provided with the drop or air pipes C as seen in Fig. 1 and that therefore there will be entrapped air in the space 70 adjacent the cover 51, which will prevent the rising of the ice above the lower surface of the insulating member 53. If the pressure of thisentrapped air exceeds the upward pressure of the forming ice, then the excess air will force itself into the interior of the annular member 53, by forcing a groove through the ice and escape through the pipe 55, the hose 59, and nipple 61 into the pipe P and from thence into the tank D.

I may now add that if a nipple and hose of suiiciently large diameter, for each can, be employed in connectionwith the insulating member 53, then and in that case separate nipples for the egress of the water and the air may be dispensed with, as readily comprehended. In like manner two pipes P for each row of ice cans (one for the escaping air and the other for the displaced water) may be used within the terms and spirit of my invention.

I have shown in the drawings, Figs. 3, 4, and 5, and specifically described in connection therewith, details of construction which, are not included in the claims, the subject matter of which I have reserved for, and embodied in my separate application for patent, Serial No. 129,366, filed Nov. 3d, 1916.

Having thus fully described my invention I claim as new, and desire to secure to myself by Letters Patent of the United States 1. In combination, an open topped ice can,

and a closing medium for said opening, said closing medium having means protruding into said ice can adjacent to the inner walls thereof and adapted to be sealed against leakage, said closing medium also having an annular insulating member extending into said ice can and a receptacle in tubular connection with the interior of said annular member.

2. In combination, an ice can, a cover, downwardly extending means on said cover adapted to be ice-sealed aga-inst leakage, a downwardly projecting tubular boss on said cover, and a receptacle in tubular connection with said boss.

3. In combination, an ice can, a cover, a receptacle thereon, an inverted dish-shaped pan dependingV from said cover, said pan having its marginal edges in adjacency to the inner walls of said can adaptedto be ice-sealed against leakage, there being a tubular connection between said pan and said receptacle.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have hereunto set my hand.

GILBERT SELLERS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

